Something about the stars
by Feux follet
Summary: [Os] What if it was not Rosemary West who find Faith, Carl and Una at night, after they ran away from what they took for Warren's ghost? What if it was Jem and Walter who recognized them? Faith and Carl are quite reassured, and willing to answer to Jem's jokes, but not Una. Maybe a tale from Walter could help her?


_Hello!_

 _I did not write about Anne's universe since a while, and I missed it ^^_

 _I hope you will like this new short story :)_

 _Have a nice reading!_

* * *

 _Something about the stars_

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None of the three children had ever experienced such terror. They had seen the wavy silhouette, and had no doubt for a moment that it was the ghost Mary had told them about, Henry Warren's ghost. They had started running, convinced that they were being pursued by the little boy's silhouette. They crossed Glen St Mary without making a pause, crying and screaming. The few residents who were still there looked at them in surprise, certain that they invented a new game, and complaining once again about them. The three Meredith did pay attention to them, too scared for it, and took the path to Ingleside, the only place that seemed safe to them at the moment. It was then that two silhouettes appeared, walking in their direction. Neither of the three children could stop, and they ran into the two shadows. The moment after the jostle, silence was broken by muffled cries, and a voice they knew well asked:

"But what the hell is this... Faith? But... Una and Carl? What the hell is wrong with you?"

Faith, hearing her name, startled. Then, she recognized the voice. She stood up, ashamed, and dusted her dress. The fear that had seized her a few moments earlier had left her, only a feeling of remorse remained, especially towards Jem who, she knew, would laugh at them when he would know the end of the story.

Una and Carl had also risen up, as well as the silhouette that was accompanying Jem. By the moonlight, they recognized Walter, surprised to find them there. They all took a moment to breathe, and the Meredith used a minute to thank their good luck. Jem, for his part, was waiting for explanations, and when Faith managed to give them to him in a coherent way, he did not deprive himself to make fun of them and their credulity.

"A ghost? Faith, I thought you had more common sense than that! We just saw Mrs. Stimson passing by, with her laundry, it was probably a sheet you saw. What a ghost!"

Nevertheless, he guessed that this meeting had really frightened them. He could still observe Faith trembling's movements, and hear Carl's fast respiration. Una was silent, but he was sure she had not recover from her experience. In a less vindicative tone, he offered to walk them home with Walter. His proposition was quickly and gladly accepted by his three friends. Reassured, Carl started walking in the front, followed by Faith and Jem, the first being the victim of the other' s jokes. Walter was about to follow, when he noticed that Una was walking too slowly to be reassured.

"Una, is everything all right? You have nothing to fear anymore, you know, I'm sure it was nothing."

The little girl had turned around, and he now saw that she was still crying. Walter was always touched by the other's pain, and even if he was not close to Una, not as he was to Faith, he felt he should do something. The young boy approached her and, placing one hand on her friend's shoulder, he added

"It's all right, Una, I promise you."

"It's just that... I thought... I thought... it was the ghost Mary had mentioned. I thought it was a real ghost, and ... and it was scaring"

They had started walking again, so that they would not be left behind by the others. Deep down, Walter would have liked to see a ghost, but he saw the little girl's distress, and he didn't want to scare her any further. So he simply whispered some clumsy consolation, uncomfortable in front of her pain. Una was thankful to him, even if he knew it was not enough to calm her. As he was looking up to the night sky, searching what to say, he thought that perhaps he could console her in a different way.

"You know, Una, nothing could have happened to you, because the stars were there. They watched over the three of you" He whispered in a dreamy tone, his eyes as if haunted by the story he had just invented.

"What do you mean?" Una asked, trying to repress her tears.

"See, from here, they can be what we want, don't you think? I think that in fact, the stars are like nightlights, lightened by the people we love, and who can no longer be with us. They light the stars at night to make sure that the darkness can't hurt us," Walter said, smiling, happy to see that she was no longer crying.

"Even ghosts?" Una asked, anxiously.

"Yes, even ghosts" The young boy laughs. "You have nothing to fear at night, Una, the stars won't let anyone nor anything hurt you, I promise"

Una felt less frightened, listening to him. She looked at Walter gratefully, as he was smiling back, happy that his words could help her. It seemed to him that words had some power, and he loved to use it to help others. That evening, he was happy to have been able to console his friend with their help. They continued to walk in silence, brought together by the secret they shared.

As Faith and Carl were passing the cemetery's wall to go home, maliciously responding to Jem's last jokes, Una stopped.

"Walter, thank you for earlier, for your story," she whispered shyly.

The young boy shook his head

"It was nothing, just something about the stars. I am glad it was a help for you"

That evening, when the children were in bed, and feeling more safe than ever, Una looked at the little window. She could see the stars, from her bed. She smiled at them, while falling asleep. She would never fear the night and its secrets again, now that she knew there was nothing to worry about. The last thing she thought was that Walter was very kind. Faith was surprised, that night, to hear her little sister calling the stars and Walter in her sleep.

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 _Thanks for reading :)_

 _I know this is short, and that my English is not as good as it should be, but I hope you liked it ^^_

 _Have a nice day!_


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